You Were Born
by forevermissingclaudiaZ
Summary: Since Ava had to take those evil pills, this is what I would like to see happen.


When he walks in the living room, she's still lying on the couch, hands rubbing her abdomen where she still feels slight cramps, but nothing as bad as this afternoon. He had been scared, terrified even, and he thought he was going to have to wait for her to pass out from the pain before rushing her to the ER. He had even been tempted to call Rosalie who had just one week ago found out that he was hiding Ava in the house. Thankfully, things had gotten better and they had both been able to relax on the couch. For a while he just watches her. Watches as her hands make circles around their possible child and a small smile plays on her lips when he or she kicks her. He could watch for a while, but she opens her eyes and sees him, so he plays it cool and continues to walk in.

"Why don't we get you up to bed?"

She lets out a long sigh.

"But I'm so comfortable."

He grins at her, because he knows she can't be comfortable on that couch and in reality she's just trying to give him his bed back, because she feels bad that she "kicked" him out of his bed still. He's not going to let her get away with it, however.

"Nope, come on, let's go before you fall asleep there."

He shoots out his hand and she reluctantly grabs it. He pulls her up, helps her steady herself before following her up the steps. He's done this all week, because she almost fell down the stairs the night the cramping started. His hands just stay on either side of her in case she needs help. She hasn't most days, but he doesn't want to risk it. Every night, Ava has looked behind her to see him and all she's done is smirk, but today she wants to say something.

"Morgan, you don't have to come tuck me in like I'm a child."

He just smiles as he shoos her forward.

"I'm just looking out for you, okay? Let me take care of you."

She doesn't look back at him, but instead continues up the steps into his room. She plops herself on the bed and lays down, almost instantaneously closing her eyes, and not even bothering to pull the blankets around her. He turns off the lamp next to the bed and pulls the comforter around her, while stopping himself from brushing her hair out of her face. He sits down on the edge of the bed as she opens her eyes to look at him.

"Cramps go away?"

She wrinkles her nose and shakes her head.

"They're better, but not gone."

"Do you need me to stay up here with you tonight?"

"I'll be okay, we both need some sleep."

"Well I'm sure I'll wake up when Kiki comes home at ten or whenever she said over the phone. You just sleep, okay? I won't even let her come up here and wake you up when she gets home."

Ava smiles at him.

"Don't let her keep you up talking about her amazing island vacation."

He smiles before squeezing her hand with his.

"I'll try not to. Night Ava."

"Night Morgan."

He reluctantly lets go of her hand and leaves the room. He turns off the hall light before going downstairs and making up his couch bed. He makes sure everything is turned off and locked, then tries to sleep even though he feels restless.

* * *

><p>It's ten o'clock on the dot when his eyes shoot open and he hears Ava yell his name. He's barely conscious as he runs up the stairs, flipping on the hallway light and running into his room. Ava is practically curled around herself and he takes note of how the bed is a mess. He turns on the bedside lamp and kneels by her. This time he doesn't hesitate to reach out and brush the hair out of her face.<p>

"Hey, hey, hey. I'm here, I'm right here."

He reaches out and grabs her hand, interlacing their fingers and allowing her to squeeze his hand as the cramps come and go. His other hand rubs her abdomen, trying to help her with the pain. He notices that she's starting to cry and he doesn't know what to do. Somehow, she manages to scoot over and bury her head into his neck. He cradles her head as best as he can and listens as she moans in pain.

"Morgan, it hurts so bad."

"I got you."

His voice is enough to help her calm her breathing, but the cramps are still there and if it's possible they hurt worse than they ever have before, but she won't tell him that and worry him more. He runs his hand through her hair for what feels like a while, but when she pulls away he stops. She's short of breath and he doesn't know what to do, he doesn't know how to help her.

"Ava, we have to take you to the hospital, please let me take you to get help for the baby."

She tries to sit up, to move herself away from him, but she doesn't have the strength to stay sitting up. He's frustrated, but he knows how terrified she is. He just wishes she would trust him enough to let him take her to the hospital.

"Morgan, if your father sees me….It doesn't matter what you say or do, he'll kill me. I need…I need to be here for this baby."

She's crying more and he sits on the bed to hold her close to him. They don't speak, instead Morgan rubs her back and Ava just tries to focus on breathing. However, they both tense up when they hear the front door open and then slam shut. The fear dissipates when they hear Kiki's voice.

"Morgan! Mom! It's just me."

"Kiki, come up here!"

Kiki notices the urgency in Morgan's voice and runs up the stairs as fast as she can. She's confused as to what is happening, but when she watches she understands that her mother is experiencing more of cramps Morgan had told her about on the phone. She rushes to her mom and sits on her other side.

"I thought the pills were supposed to help with this?"

She's mainly asking Morgan, because she knows her mom can't answer since she's in so much pain. Morgan looks down at Ava and gently rests his cheek on hers just to remind her that he's here for her, hoping that it comforts her.

"They were, but they're not working for long. She's just constantly been in pain, but she won't go to the hospital, Kiki."

Kiki looks at the ground. They need to go to the hospital to get help, because whatever is happening is bad, but she knows her mom won't go. No one has ever made her mom do something she didn't want to do. She reaches out and puts her hand on Ava's back.

"Mom? Mama?"

Ava slowly moves away from Morgan so that she can look her daughter in the eyes. Kiki reaches down and grabs her hand.

"You really need to go to the hospital, mom. Something could be wrong with the baby or you. I know you're scared, but we'll keep you safe. We won't let Sonny or his men get anywhere near you."

"You…you can't stop him. If he wants to kill me, he'll do everything in his power to do it, he's…determined. I'm terrified to…to die and leave this baby and you, my…beautiful daughter."

Ava's hit by another round of cramping which she meets with moans of pain. She lies back down and attempts to pull the comforter around herself. Morgan has to end up helping her, but then he watches as Kiki grabs her purse off the floor and walks toward the door.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to get my mom her doctor. You just keep her safe until I get back."

He watches as she storms from the room before focusing his attention back on to Ava. He moves up the bed and reaches to rub her back. She lets out a long groan like she used to when she would wake up in the morning, only this time it's because she's in pain.

"Morgan."

"I'm right here, Ava, I'm not going anywhere."

* * *

><p>She parked in the parking garage so that Sonny's men wouldn't see her go in the main entrance. She then takes the elevator up the obstetrics floor and goes straight to the nurses' station. She taps her fingers on the desk until a nurse walks up to the computer.<p>

"Excuse me, is Doctor Westbourne still here by chance?"

She realizes it's a long shot considering it's nearly eleven o'clock at night, but she doesn't know what else to do.

"She is, actually, she's in her office. If you go down the hall, she's the second door on your left. The door has her name on it."

Kiki nods.

"Thank you!"

She rushes down the hallway and finds the door with Dr. Westbourne's name on it. She knocks twice and waits- hoping and praying that her mother's doctor is pulling some sort of all nighter.

"You can come in."

Kiki lets out a breath before opening the door and walking inside. She lets the door close mostly behind her just in case someone did follow her and wants to listen in to her conversation with the doctor.

"Hi. I'm sorry, are you one of my patients?"

Dr. Westbourne looks entirely too confused and if the situation wasn't so dire she may laugh, but this was serious, it was about her little brother or sister.

"I'm not, I'm Kiki Jerome, but my mom is your patient- Ava Jerome?"

"Oh of course, she wasn't at the penthouse for her last appointment, she should be around twenty-nine weeks along. Is she alright?"

Kiki shakes her head.

"I'm not going to try and explain the business and situation my mother has put herself in, but what I can tell you is that she's in hiding, because people want to kill her. But she's having those cramps again and they're really serious."

"Well the pills she received the night she came into the hospital for the cramping should fix that."

"No, the pills Nurse Santiago gave her aren't helping. We think they're making it worse, honestly. She can't leave where she is and I know it's late and you're probably super busy and this is too much to ask, but I need you to come with me. I need you to come help my mom, because I'm really worried there's something severely wrong with the baby."

Britt nods and stands, grabbing a few items such as a fetal heart rate detector and other items that could be needed. Just in case, she grabs neonatal items that would be needed in order to aid a premature baby of this gestation. They walk out of her office quickly, Kiki leading her to the elevators. As they wait for the elevator doors to open, Sabrina walks by and Britt grabs her.

"I need you to come with me, please."

The doctor isn't sure what kind of situation she's going into, but she wants to have a nurse by her side just in case and she trusts Sabrina more than most nurses. She just needs an extra set of trained hands with her.

"Why? Where are you going?"

"Ava Jerome, you gave her the medication for the cramping, is having problems, but can't come to the hospital. I'll make sure you're paid for the hours. I just want the extra hands, just in case."

Sabrina's face becomes downcast in an instant and Britt takes note of it, but doesn't ask. Instead she slightly drags the young nurse into the elevator when its doors open. Sabrina runs a hand through her hair before putting it up in a ponytail. Britt may not know what they're walking into, but she was certainly aware.

* * *

><p>Morgan has been trying to help in any way possible for the last twenty minutes, but nothing he does takes away her pain. She had voiced her desire to sit up nearly five minutes ago, but she was too weak to do it by herself. Morgan had put himself between her back and the headboard of the bed and allowed her to rest against him. His knees were bent so that she felt more stabilized and he felt like she couldn't manage to fall. The pains had gotten slightly better since she had been in this position and for that they were both thankful.<p>

"It's okay, baby, you're okay. Mommy is trying to breathe, I promise. You just stay put, your big sister is getting us help and we'll be okay. You just stay in there, okay? You're safest in there, baby."

He wonders if Ava knows that he can hear her speak to the baby even though she's just whispering or if she's in a completely different world where for just that moment it's just the two of them and everything is okay. Either way, he doesn't say a word during her small pep talk to the baby; he doesn't want her to feel embarrassed for talking to her unborn child.

However, he's quickly brought out of his reverie as she grabs and squeezes his hand harder than before. Her breathing quickens and he can physically feel her body laboring for breath. He doesn't know if these are just cramps anymore.

"Morgan, I think I'm in labor."

"Why-"

He doesn't finish his question because he feels the sheets beneath them becoming moist. Her water broke. She's having the baby now and it's too early, he doesn't know exactly how early, but it's too soon for this baby to be born. Her cries of fear bring him out of his thoughts. He slips out from behind her, filling his spot with pillows, before running to the attached bathroom to get towels and finally kneeling on the bed in front of her.

"Do we have time to get you to a hospital?"

He tries to keep his voice calm and even, but it doesn't work- his whole body is shaking. He tries to keep his hands from shaking at least since they're resting on her knees, but she notices how terrified he is.

"No."

Her voice barely comes through her tears, but he hears her as she moans out her answer. He has to think fast, he has to do something. He grabs his phone that sits on the other end of the bed and finds Kiki's number.

"I'm gonna call Kiki, okay?"

She grabs onto his wrist.

"Don't leave me."

"I'm not going anywhere, I'm right here."

He presses the call button and waits as the phone rings three times before Kiki finally answers.

"_Morgan? What's wrong?"_

Her voice is panicked and he runs his hand through his hair as Ava attempts to breathe through another contraction.

"Ava's in labor, her water broke, I don't know what to do. Tell me what to do. She doesn't think there's time to get to the hospital. Please tell me you have her doctor and are on your way back here. Please."

"_Morgan, calm down-"_

"It's too soon."

"_Stop, you have to stop, I know it's too early, and so does she, but you have to be positive and calm for mom or else she'll just freak out more. I have her doctor in the car and I'm going to hand her the phone, okay? You can do this. Take care of my mom and baby brother or sister. I'm giving the phone to Dr. Westbourne."_

He listens as the phone is handed between the two women. He's assuming that Kiki is driving and that she's making sure no one is tailing them. He hopes that she has been doing that, at least, or else she'll be leading people who want to hurt Ava right to their doorstep.

"_Morgan? I need you to get towels, put one under Ava and pick an especially soft one just in case the baby is born before I get there."_

He puts a towel under Ava as gently as possible and strips the bed of the thick comforter, making it so that just a thin sheet is covering Ava's bent legs.

"Okay, I did it."

"_Good, now I need you to check how far the baby is in the birth canal. If you don't see the baby's head, it's a good sign that we have enough time to get there."_

He pulls the sheet up to Ava's knees and feels his heart drop. He can visibly see the baby's head. Ava yells out in pain and bunches the sheets up in her hands. Before he can report back to the doctor, she manages to speak.

"Morgan, I have to push."

"Hold on, Ava, I'm talking to your doctor now."

He pulls the phone back up to his ear.

"Dr. Westbourne, I…the baby's head is visible and Ava says she needs to push. What do I do? How far away are you guys?"

"_We're too far away for me to help. You need to tell Ava to push with her next contraction. All you have to do is catch the baby, rub around its nose and mouth when its born, wrap it up in the towel and make sure it's breathing. You'll be fine, just set the phone down, if you need my help, I'll be here."_

He puts the phone down on the bed beside him and looks up at Ava. She looks terrified and he is too. He reaches across and grabs her hand tightly, trying to reassure her that it'll all be okay, but she's crying and feels like nothing will be okay in the moment.

"You can push when you need to."

"I can't. I can't have this baby yet, it's too soon."

"Hey, it's okay, it's just you and me here. This baby is going to be just fine, we're going to take good care of it, but you have to push. I'm right here for you, I'm not going anywhere."

He's trying to comfort her and make her feel better, but it's not working and she's still crying.

"We don't even know if you're the baby's father. I'm so sorry, so so sorry, Morgan. Your father should kill me, I'm a horrible person and this baby would probably be better off without me as its mother."

"No, don't say that. You're going to be a great mom; you already are a great mom, you raised Kiki all by yourself and you did amazing. You have kept this baby safe and that has not been an easy task. I forgive you for what happened all those months ago, I forgive you, I promise."

He lets go of her hand as a contraction overcomes her. It only takes a few minutes for the baby to be fully born. Morgan holds the small infant in his arms and does exactly what Ava's doctor told him to do. Once he starts rubbing the baby's back, the room is filled with strong cries. When he finally manages to tear his eyes away, he looks up at Ava.

"It's a boy!"

She notices the tears in Morgan's eyes and finally looks down at the little boy who she carried for seven months. He's bigger than she expected and he has a dark layer of hair covering his head. She reaches out for him and Morgan puts him in her arms. She doesn't say anything, mainly because she can't- she's amazed by the little miracle in her arms.

"Hi baby. Mommy's here, you're okay, I'm here."

Ava talks in a whisper to the baby and he makes small cooing noises which reassures both Ava and Morgan that maybe he's okay even though he was born too early. Morgan stays close and gently rubs his finger through the little boy's hair. He's convinced that this baby is his, because he can see himself in the baby, but he when he goes to tell Ava he hears the door opening downstairs and footsteps running up the stairs.

"Mom! Morgan!"

The baby lets out a startled cry from Kiki's yelling as she makes her way into the room followed by Dr. Westbourne and Nurse Santiago. The scene in front of her, however, of her mom, new sibling, and Morgan brings her to a skidding halt.

"Hi."

Kiki doesn't know what else to say as she slowly walks toward the bed where her family is. She reaches out and grabs her new sibling's small hand and kisses her mom's cheek. Britt cuts the cord while all of this is happening and no one even acknowledges the medical professionals at first.

"Ava, I have to take the baby to check him."

She lets the doctor lift the little boy out of her arms and take him to the other side of the bed. They watch closely as the doctor and nurse check the baby's vitals. He makes small cries as he's poked and prodded, but his cries are almost reassuring to his family.

"Is he okay, Dr. Westbourne?"

Britt looks up at the older woman and smiles.

"He should probably be taken to an actual pediatrician, but he seems fine. We were estimating you were around twenty-nine to thirty weeks, because of the last time you had sex, correct?"

She winces slightly at the fact that her indiscretion is being brought up again in front of her two children, but she nods to tell the doctor yes.

"Well we were wrong. This little guy is at least at thirty-three weeks gestation if not more, wouldn't you agree Nurse Santiago?"

Sabrina was surprised to see the baby she had tried to sabotage alive and well, but she hadn't taken into account how far along Ava was and for that she was thankful. Looking down at the little boy now and seeing his family so in love with him made her realize that being the reason this baby died would have killed her.

"I agree."

"So, I'll leave him in your capable hands. But really he should be taken to a doctor soon, if you're still hiding, Kiki or Morgan can take him. When I get back to the hospital, I'll start filling out the birth certificate and you'll be all set."

"Thank you, Dr. Westbourne."

Britt hands the child back to Ava as everyone processes the information and what the baby being further along means for everyone in the situation. She gently grabs Morgan's wrist and than focuses on her son's face. All she can notice is how much he looks like his father. His _father_. Morgan is her son's _father. _

"Morgan, he's your son."

"Wha…?"

"Morgan, think about it. Eight months ago the only person I was with was you. He's yours."

He looks amazed to say the least. His eyes keep going back and forth between the bundle in Ava's arms and Ava herself. Without realizing what he's doing, he leans over and kisses her temple. She had wanted something pure and good to come from them and the insanity they caused and now something had- their child. He reaches out, because all he wants to do and all he can think about doing is holding his son in his arms.

"Can I…?"

She smiles and nods at him, before kissing her son's forehead.

"Go see your daddy, baby."

When the baby is finally in Morgan's arms, he holds him close, examines his facial features and counts all of his finger and toes. He's aware that he probably looks crazy, but he doesn't care. He's convinced that his son is perfect and he doesn't believe anyone could disagree with him. He smiles down at the little boy and watches as his eyes open and close. He _is _perfect.

"Hey, baby boy, I'm your daddy and I love you so much. Welcome to the world."

_"You were born into a strange world._  
><em>Like a candle, you were meant to share the fire.<em>  
><em>I don't know where we come from, and I don't know where we go.<em>  
><em>But my arms were made to hold you, so I will never let you go."<em>


End file.
